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Royal Exchange Theatre
from 3 reviews
Royal Exchange Theatre
St Anns Square
Manchester
M2 7DH
tel.: 01618339833
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Review. Macbeth; Shock and Gore.
This promised to be a dark and devastating production, and it didn't disappoint.
The director, Matthew Dunster, seemed to be on a mission to disturb. From the start, the audience were unsettled by the sound of shell fire, and the incidental music only added to the brooding menace. Even alt. pop songs provided a nasty irony to the scenes of graphic murder, witchcraft, and twisted dancing that took place.
This version of Macbeth was bang up to date, and set in a modern war zone.This is a gore splattered place, where children's sleep overs are brutally interrupted, messengers are hideously wounded, and where women and children are horribly murdered, and the act texted to horrified relatives.
The modern setting was a brave move, and parts of it worked very well. Hilary McClean shone as a coke snorting WAG Lady Macbeth, plotting murder to advance her status. Nicholas Gleaves became increasingly convincing as Macbeth, dressing, acting, and ranting like a twentieth century dictator, with a backdrop of real violence to remind the audience just how nasty he had become.
Large parts of the play had been cut away, and the witches were substituted by feral children haunting the set. They provided a nice touch, acting as the puppet masters behind everything; ushering in spectres, forming prophesies and rituals, and putting words in the characters' mouths. 'We will have blood.' one says at the end.
Some of the innovations worked less well. The opening scenes provoked laughter rather than shock amongst some, and the dancing which replaced the famous 'toil and trouble' witchcraft scene confused many. 'What was that humping thing all about?' was one comment afterwards. The end scene where the rightful King emulates Barrack Obama was cringeworthy.
Overall though, it was a memorable production, with some fine acting, especially from the supporting players. Although some purists may be disappointed, I found the modern setting helped me connect with the play in a way my GSCE studies couldn't match, and the background of modern warfare echoed the horror of Macbeth's rise to power, and the madness of his tyranny.
Macbeth is playing at the Royal Exchange Theatre until April 11, 2009.
This promised to be a dark and devastating production, and it didn't disappoint.
The director, Matthew Dunster, seemed to be on a mission to disturb. From the start, the audience were unsettled by the sound of shell fire, and the incidental music only added to the brooding menace. Even alt. pop songs provided a nasty irony to the scenes of graphic murder, witchcraft, and twisted dancing that took place.
This version of Macbeth was bang up to date, and set in a modern war zone.This is a gore splattered place, where children's sleep overs are brutally interrupted, messengers are hideously wounded, and where women and children are horribly murdered, and the act texted to horrified relatives.
The modern setting was a brave move, and parts of it worked very well. Hilary McClean shone as a coke snorting WAG Lady Macbeth, plotting murder to advance her status. Nicholas Gleaves became increasingly convincing as Macbeth, dressing, acting, and ranting like a twentieth century dictator, with a backdrop of real violence to remind the audience just how nasty he had become.
Large parts of the play had been cut away, and the witches were substituted by feral children haunting the set. They provided a nice touch, acting as the puppet masters behind everything; ushering in spectres, forming prophesies and rituals, and putting words in the characters' mouths. 'We will have blood.' one says at the end.
Some of the innovations worked less well. The opening scenes provoked laughter rather than shock amongst some, and the dancing which replaced the famous 'toil and trouble' witchcraft scene confused many. 'What was that humping thing all about?' was one comment afterwards. The end scene where the rightful King emulates Barrack Obama was cringeworthy.
Overall though, it was a memorable production, with some fine acting, especially from the supporting players. Although some purists may be disappointed, I found the modern setting helped me connect with the play in a way my GSCE studies couldn't match, and the background of modern warfare echoed the horror of Macbeth's rise to power, and the madness of his tyranny.
Macbeth is playing at the Royal Exchange Theatre until April 11, 2009.
Review: Palace at the End
Three hard-hitting monologues about Iraq make up the Palace of the End, which is making its UK premier at the Royal Exchange theatre until 21st February. Written by Canadian playwright Judith Thompson, the play centres around three very different stories of people involved with the most recent war in Iraq. Two of these characters are already well known through their media exposure – though David Kelly, the weapons inspector, is perhaps already becoming a distant memory to most of us. Before I went to see the play, I wondered what it could possibly add to my own knowledge and perspective on Iraq. I disagreed with the war from its outset. I’d seen news story, upon news story upon news story in newspapers, magazines and on TV. What could a play, with only three monologues, tell me what I didn’t already know?
I’m happy, though I’m not sure that’s the appropriate word given the subject matter, to say that the play absorbed, moved and educated me. The fact that the characters were based on real people added to its authenticity, and if these were not the words those people would have spoken I wouldn’t have guessed it. The play’s impact was strengthened by the strong performances of each of the three characters; David Kelly, the former UN weapons inspector, an Iraqi woman pursued by Saddam Hussein and a female American soldier facing a court-martial for torture and prisoner abuse. The dialogue did occasionally feel stilted – especially by David Kelly played by Robert Demeger. But I could see the necessity of the background information in informing an audience, who might have forgotten his role in the whole affair. Kellie Bright plays an American soldier charged with abusing the Iraqi prisoners of war she was in charge of. She does an admirable job in making the audience sympathise with this unlikeable person. Yet, the most powerful performance was that of Eve Polycarpou playing Nehrjas, an Iraqi woman whose family was tortured by Saddam Hussein’s secret police, and taken to the Palace of the End – hence the play’s title. As she wiped tears from her eyes, recounting her experience, I found my eyes filling a little too, hearing a personal story oft forgotten. It’s the individual stories that the media tends to forget, and yet it’s people’s stories that connect us to them and reminds us that, at the end of the day, we’re all human beings with fears, hopes, dreams and pain. This is a sensitive play, with much to recommend it. It might not add anything new to the debate about whether the war was right or wrong, but it will still have an impact and make you think about all the people whose lives have affected by this long war.
Three hard-hitting monologues about Iraq make up the Palace of the End, which is making its UK premier at the Royal Exchange theatre until 21st February. Written by Canadian playwright Judith Thompson, the play centres around three very different stories of people involved with the most recent war in Iraq. Two of these characters are already well known through their media exposure – though David Kelly, the weapons inspector, is perhaps already becoming a distant memory to most of us. Before I went to see the play, I wondered what it could possibly add to my own knowledge and perspective on Iraq. I disagreed with the war from its outset. I’d seen news story, upon news story upon news story in newspapers, magazines and on TV. What could a play, with only three monologues, tell me what I didn’t already know?
I’m happy, though I’m not sure that’s the appropriate word given the subject matter, to say that the play absorbed, moved and educated me. The fact that the characters were based on real people added to its authenticity, and if these were not the words those people would have spoken I wouldn’t have guessed it. The play’s impact was strengthened by the strong performances of each of the three characters; David Kelly, the former UN weapons inspector, an Iraqi woman pursued by Saddam Hussein and a female American soldier facing a court-martial for torture and prisoner abuse. The dialogue did occasionally feel stilted – especially by David Kelly played by Robert Demeger. But I could see the necessity of the background information in informing an audience, who might have forgotten his role in the whole affair. Kellie Bright plays an American soldier charged with abusing the Iraqi prisoners of war she was in charge of. She does an admirable job in making the audience sympathise with this unlikeable person. Yet, the most powerful performance was that of Eve Polycarpou playing Nehrjas, an Iraqi woman whose family was tortured by Saddam Hussein’s secret police, and taken to the Palace of the End – hence the play’s title. As she wiped tears from her eyes, recounting her experience, I found my eyes filling a little too, hearing a personal story oft forgotten. It’s the individual stories that the media tends to forget, and yet it’s people’s stories that connect us to them and reminds us that, at the end of the day, we’re all human beings with fears, hopes, dreams and pain. This is a sensitive play, with much to recommend it. It might not add anything new to the debate about whether the war was right or wrong, but it will still have an impact and make you think about all the people whose lives have affected by this long war.
The Tempest - May 07The Tempest is by far the best thing I have ever seen at the Theatre, by a long way. Not being an expert on Shakespeare, I always approach his plays with some degree of trepidation and virtually no knowledge of the subject matter. But there is no need to worry, the cast are excellent and really bring the whole story to life in an unbelivelable way.And although Pete Posslethwaite is a fantastic actor (I agree that he is one of the world's finest actors), he certainly does not overshadow most of the other actors. In fact Ariel and Caliban more than hold their own, both actors giving noteworthy performances in very demanding roles. Even the more minor roles are more than adequatly cast, adding to the overall illusion of the desert island location and events with the most limited amount of scenery I have seen.In short, it is absolutely bl**dy brilliant and if I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Go and see it if you can - I am sure it will be a sell out success. Thanks to the Exchange Theatre and everyone involved in The Tempest!
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